The Russian Interior Ministry says the suspect was looking for citizens in a serious financial situation who would agree for large money remuneration to become donors for organ transplantation

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. A Moscow Court has ruled to arrest Ukrainian female citizen Maria Oleinik detained on suspicion of inducing a compatriot to sell her kidney, the court’s press office reported on Tuesday.

"The court has granted the investigation’s petition and chosen arrest for a term until December 30 as a measure of restraint for Oleinik," the court’s spokeswoman said.

The court is expected soon to choose a measure of restraint for the second person detained in the kidney case.

According to the investigation, the natives of Ukraine - 23-year-old Maria Oleinik and 22-year-old Andrei Borodach involved their 20-year-old acquaintance, also a citizen of Ukraine, into the provision of sexual services in Moscow. In order to get more money, they involved the girl in illegal organ donation, proposing to her to sell her kidney.

It is reported that the young people entered into negotiations with a buyer of organs whose role was played by an officer of the Russian Interior Ministry. They were detained at a Moscow hotel in north Moscow on October 3 as they were getting $3,000 as payment for the donor’s services.

A criminal case under part 2, article 127.1 of Russia’s Criminal Code ("Human Trafficking") has been opened against the suspects.

As spokeswoman for the Russian Interior Ministry Irina Volk earlier told TASS, the suspects were using the Internet to look for citizens in a serious financial situation who would agree for large money remuneration to become donors for organ transplantation in Russia.